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New laws to secure more WA jobs

McGowan Labor Government's Jobs legislation to be introduced into State Parliament in coming weeks

New laws will support WA businesses to get a bigger share of work on government projects, creating more jobs for Western Australians

Support for small and medium businesses to tender for government contracts

Key component of McGowan Government's comprehensive Plan for Jobs

The McGowan Labor Government's new Jobs Law will be introduced into State Parliament in coming weeks, to ensure Western Australians get a bigger share of work on government projects.

The Bill, which will become the Jobs Law, will support small and medium businesses to tender for government contracts, creating more jobs for local workers.

The Government spends billions of dollars every year running schools, hospitals, public transport systems, and building critical infrastructure and delivering services across the State.

The Jobs Law will mean local businesses are given every opportunity to compete for this work and are provided appropriate support to do so.

Under the laws, prospective suppliers of government contracts will need to submit local industry participation plans as part of their tender.

Those suppliers which win government contracts will have participation plans incorporated into their contracts to deliver the promised local jobs.

The creation of the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation also brings under one department all the priority areas the McGowan Government will focus on to strengthen and diversify the economy.

The dedicated staff within the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation and the Department of Regional Development will proactively engage with local businesses, making it simpler and easier for them to understand how to tender for a government contract.

Under the Jobs Law, governments can also declare a major project a 'project of strategic significance for the WA economy' requiring these projects to have extra local content, which will lead to more jobs.

Comments attributed to Premier Mark McGowan:

"I made a promise to people of WA to put Western Australian jobs first.

"This was a key election commitment and a major component of our Plan for Jobs, which will create thousands of jobs for Western Australians, more opportunities for local businesses and boost the economy to get our State back on track.

"The Jobs Law will support small and medium businesses and, in turn, local workers will benefit from the work of the Government.

"The new law will provide the legislative clout needed to increase local content on government contracts and will create more jobs for Western Australians.

"This is all about making sure local jobs are maximised from the billions of dollars the State Government invests into services and infrastructure across WA.

"Our Jobs Law will mean my Government, and every WA government that follows, will always support Western Australian jobs."